Local arts festival celebrates artists from underrepresented communities

The SkirtsAFire Festival is back in Edmonton this month, running from March 6 to 16 at various venues across the city. The event focuses on uplifting local artists through empowerment.

This year’s festival features performances at the following venues:

• The Gateway Theatre, 8529 Gateway Blvd NW
• The Walterdale Theatre, 10322 83rd Ave NW
• Théâtre Servus Credit Union, 8627 91 Street
• Holy Trinity Anglican Church, 10037 84 Ave NW
• Chianto Café and Restaurant, 10501 82 Ave NW

Created 23 years ago, SkirtsAFire aims to make the arts more inclusive. “The festival was founded back in 2012 based on the severe underrepresentation of women in the arts on professional stages,” said SkirtsAFire managing director, Brianne Jang. “It started kind of with theatre, but the more we did research, we found that it happens across all art forms.”

The SkirtsAFire Festival, founded by a group of female artists, continues to champion underrepresented voices within the arts community. The organization highlights the work of women, non-binary, and LGBTQIA2S+ individuals, who still face discrimination in the industry.

The collective’s mission is to provide opportunities for artists to develop and showcase their talents on a platform that celebrates diversity and inclusivity. “What comes to mind about the impact of this festival is the artist response. A lot of the time we’ll hear back from artists that they may not have had the opportunity to do their show or share their story in the way that they could at SkirtsAFire,” said Brianne Jang of her experiences working with artists during the festival. “That has really stood out to me because we receive feedback from the teachers and from the students directly about what it meant to see their stories reflected on stage.”

Since its inception, the festival has grown to feature more than 100 artists and attract over 3,000 attendees across its 10-day run. The event offers seminars, workshops, and performances that highlight the diverse, multidisciplinary arts culture of Alberta.

This year’s festival will feature a live production of Dance Nation by Clare Barron at the Gateway Theatre in Old Strathcona. In addition to art showcases, SkirtsAFire is offering programming focused on body empowerment, consensual acting, comedy, sensory exploration, and Indigenous traditions.

SkirtsAFire encourages Edmontonians to become involved and support local artists, helping to foster a thriving and inclusive arts community.

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